Upper Nazareth Township Meetings

Upper Nazareth Planning Commission Meeting – May 9, 2024

ENDEAVOR ENTERPRISE – 373 E. Lawn Road – Resubmission of a plan

This plan is for the blighted property, formerly known as the Ranch House, on the corner of E. Lawn Rd. and Friedenstahl Avenue. The plan is to remove the building and replace it with a three-story structure which will have commercial space in the basement and on the first floor with 7 apartments on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors. Developers do not expect to allow a restaurant on the property.

The Commission approved recommending preliminary/final approval of the project.

OVERLOOK ESTATES WEST

This is a Tuskes project on Michael’s School Road and the Commission tabled it. They will review it at a future meeting.

PENN DIXIE COMMERCIAL PARK

This is for a development near Tuskes Park on Route 248. It includes a warehouse with multiple lots attached. The Zoning Officer, John Soloe, said he wants individual development plans for each section. A resident on Route 248 asked about the Cement Plant. (It will be moved to the southeast corner of the property.) Scott Sylvainus said that the developer will have to show that there will be no harm to the neighbors in terms of dust, noise, etc. The development will pave over the stone roads which should reduce the dust. There will be additional traffic and Route 248 may need to be widened. The plans have not been submitted to PennDOT yet.

The developers are waiting for evaluations from Zoning, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC), and the Conservation District. They agreed that they need to clean up their plan and bring it back to the Planning Commission.

SCHOENECK OVERLOOK — PRELIMINARY PLAN

Mark Kaplan from the Charles Chrin Real Estate Trust did an informational presentation on a proposed housing project next to the Intermediate School on Tatamy Road. A geologist from Hercules spoke, saying that Hercules has concerns about the project including sinkholes, stormwater management and the building of houses so close to the quarry.

The plan is for 190 townhomes and 48 apartments. The presenter said that the Sewer Authority has asked Chrin to help relocate a sewer line on the property and install a sewage pump station. Mr. Kaplan said there are no plans to develop the Palmer side of the property at this time.

Proposed sizes for the townhomes would be 22 – 26’ wide and 44’ in length. The apartments would be in 4 buildings with 12 apartments each.

There is no plan to install a traffic signal on Tatamy Road.

Solicitor Gary Asteak and the township engineer expressed concerns about parking. There is only one outlet, the other outlet, also to Tatamy Road, would only be used for emergencies. The engineer wanted the roads to be wider and each unit to have 2 parking spaces each, similar to what is found in the Red Cliff development.

The commissioners seemed to want the road into the development to be kept private and, with the Black Top (asphalt) plant right across the street from the development, expected traffic to be a big problem.

The engineer also pointed out that some of the proposals are not in line with SALDO regulations.

PUBLIC COMMENT

I expressed concerns about the land being unstable with a history of huge sinkholes. I gave the Commissioners several photos of sinkholes in the area and requested that, should the development be approved, anyone moving in must be advised of the hazards. I pointed out that 4 homes in Palmer township had to be removed due to sinkholes several years ago and that that site is only a mile or so from this property.

A 5^th Street resident asked about the cost of the homes. Mr. Kaplan said they had no details about that yet—this is a preliminary plan. She also expressed concerns about traffic and said that, even now, it’s very hard to exit from the Intermediate school.

The Charles Chrin Real Estate Trust will resubmit their plan in 4-6 weeks.

Becky Bartlett covers these meetings because citizens have a right to know what their government is doing.

Photo of a sinkhole which opened on or near the property in 2004. You can see the roof of the Intermediate School in the distance.